Biopsychosocial Perspectives on Arab Americans: Culture, Development, and Health

Sylvia C. Nassar-McMillan, Kristine J. Ajrouch, and Julie Hakim-Larson, Editors

One way integrative approaches to health care improve on traditional medical models is by recognizing the impact of cultural factors on health. While this evolution benefits clients of all ethnicities, it holds added significance to treating individuals of Arab descent, who face a wide range of new challenges and stressors in post-9/11 America.

Biopsychosocial Perspectives on Arab Americans introduces an interdisciplinary lens by bringing together vital research on culture, psychosocial development, and key aspects of health and disease to address a wide range of salient concerns. Its scholarship mirrors the diversity of the Arab American population, exploring ethnic concepts in socio-historical and political contexts before reviewing findings on major health issues, including diabetes, cancer, substance abuse, mental illness, and maternal/child health. And by including policy and program strategies for disease prevention, health promotion, and environmental health, the book offers practitioners--and their clients--opportunities for proactive care. Featured in the coverage:

• Family, gender and social identity issues
• Arab Americans and the aging process
• Acculturation and ethnic identity across the lifespan
• Arab refugees: Trauma, resilience, and recovery
• Cancer: Crossroads of ethnicity and environment
• Health and well-being: Biopsychosocial prevention approaches
• Arab American health disparities: A call for advocacy

Rich in cultural information and clinical insights, Biopsychosocial Perspectives on Arab Americans is an important reference that can enhance health practices across the disciplines of medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, social work, counseling, and psychology.